Black Horse Knitting

I used worsted weight wool yarn and size 4 needles for this but this is the kind of project where gauge is less important as long as you're happy with the fabric you're making. Wool is useful because it blocks well and flat table runners are nice, but wool isn't necessary. 

Key:

Sl – slip stitch

K – knit

P – purl

K2tog – knit two together

SSK – slip two stitches knitwise and then knit them together

YO – yarn over – Because you’re putting yarn overs right next to purl stitches in some cases, some of them will be like simply keeping the yarn forward and others will need an extra half wrap around the needle. Just make sure there’s a yarn over there after you’ve knit or purled the next stitch and it’ll all work out.

Seed Stitch:

P1, k1, repeat over an odd number of stitches. 

After the first row, you’ll be knitting into purl stitches and purling into knit stitches.

Cast on 77 using crochet cast on

1. Sl1, p1, *k3, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, yo, k2tog, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k3* place marker. Starting with a purl stitch seed stitch for 25 stitches, place marker. Repeat between **, p1, k1

2. Sl1, *p10, k2, p2, k2, p10* (this will include the first purl stitch of the seed stitches). Continue Seed Stitch to 1 stitch before the next marker. Repeat between **, k1

3. Sl1, p1, *k2, k2tog, k4, yo, k1, p2, k2tog, yo, p2, k1, yo, k4, ssk, k2*, Seed Stitch, repeat between **, p1, k1

4.  Repeat row 2

5. Sl1, p1, *k1, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, yo, k2tog, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k1*, Seed Stitch, repeat between **, p1, k1

6. Repeat row 2

7. Sl1, p1, *k2tog, k4, yo, k3, p2, k2tog, yo, p2, k3, yo, k4, ssk*, Seed Stitch, repeat between ** P 1 k 1

8. Repeat row 2

Continue until you like the length!

Cast off loosely with the standard cast off

Crochet picot edging 

1. Put the crochet hook into the last stitch and chain 1. Double crochet into each selvedge stitch around the edge. The 8 corner stitches get 2 each to make corners. 

2. Chain 1, double crochet 1 into next stitch, *chain 3, crochet slip stitch into 3rd chain from hook*, skip 1 stitch, double crochet 1 into next stitch, repeat from *. At the corners you will likely need to go ahead and do 2 double crochets instead of skipping a stitch.

Cast off!

Weave in your edges and block to the size you want!

You are welcome to distribute this pattern and use the ideas included and gift or sell whatever you make from it. But if you distribute it, please do so as a whole, with attribution and this info included. Thanks!

This work by Suzanne Lander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

This pattern does not have the two lines of knit stitches right next to each other like this picture does… I fixed it so the pattern repeats evenly. But it was the only good picture I was able to get!

Yarn:

Worsted weight

I used wool for the stretchiness but have found that less stretchy yarn (like cotton) still works.

Needles:

US size 5

I prefer magic loop on circular but straight needles should work fine

Key:

k – knit

yo – yarn over

sl – slip one stitch knitwise

k2tog – knit two stitches together

psso – pass slipped stitch over the following stitch

ssk – slip two stitches knitwise and then knit them together

Cast on 56 stitches around a hair band:

This is the fun part. It works kind of like a crochet cast on.

Tie the end of the yarn to the hair band. You don’t need much of a tail. You’ll just be weaving it in later.

Holding the working yarn as you normally would, stick the tip of the right needle through the hair band as if it was a very large stitch.

Wrap the working yarn around the needle.

Pull it through like a normal knit stitch.

Now wrap the working yarn around the needle again…

and using the left needle if you need to…

pull it through the loop you’ve made.

Now you have one stitch on the needle and around the hair band!

Once you’ve cast on all of them, mark the beginning of the round.

If you need to cast on more for a larger size, use multiples of 4 for the pattern. You may need to experiment with the decrease rounds to get it to look a way that makes you happy.

Pattern rounds:

Repeat four times. More if you want a bigger bun cover or less if you want a smaller one.

1.      Knit around

2.      yo, k1, yo, sl, k2tog, psso – repeat all the way around

3.      Knit around

4.      sl, k2tog, psso, yo, k1, yo – repeat all the way around

Decrease rounds:

1.      Knit around

2.      k1, sl, k2tog, psso – repeat to end with 28 stitches

3.      Knit around

4.      Knit the first stitch in the round and slip it next to the last stitch. Starting with the second stitch (which is now the first) ssk all the way around – end with 14 stitches

5.      Knit around

6.      Break yarn and use a darning needle to run the tail through the stitches purlwise as you take them off the needles. Run the tail through again once or twice and pull tight. I like to make a little knot. Weave in the ends and you’re done!

You are welcome to distribute this pattern and use the ideas included and gift or sell whatever you make from it. But if you distribute it, please do so as a whole, with attribution and this info included. Thanks!

This work by Suzanne Lander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

“You can drive all day and still be in Texas.” From the Piney Woods in East Texas to the mountains of West Texas, the desert, plains, hill country, and ocean, there's a lot to see in Texas. This pattern started for me with a curiosity as to whether I could make a five pointed star as a center for a shawl and continued on from there inspired by the different landscapes I've lived in and passed through in my home state.

I have charts in the pdf but they’re in a knitting font I can’t get to work on the web page. I also had issues with the row numbering here so I wasn’t able to sum up some of the repetitions. But everything is here.

The binding off calls for a crochet hook the same size or a little bigger than the needles you use to get gauge.

Gauge: 8 stitches and 10 rows over 2 inches square in stockinette before blocking blocked to a diameter of 56 inches

Yarn: 1200 yards, fingering weight

Key:

k – knit

p – purl

yo – yarn over

m1 – increase by knitting into the front of a stitch then leaving it on the needle while knitting into the back of the same stitch

k2tog – knit two stitches together

ssk – slip two stitches knitwise onto the right needle, slip the left needle through the other side of the stitches and then knit the stitches together

sl1, k2tog, psso – slip one stitch knitwise, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over

* – The increases are not spaced evenly throughout the pattern, so it might be difficult to add diameter just by doing more repeats. But if you want to try, you could probably get away with adding an 8 row repeat just after row 58. Start with repeating row 27 and then knit around repeating this pattern: sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3. You could also probably repeat rows 78 through 93 before going on to row 94.

Cast on: 10 stitches in the round. Repeat instructions for each round all the way to its end.

1. join and knit around

2. m1 for each stitch using bar increases

3. and all unmarked odd rounds following... knit around

4. m1, k2, m1

5. knit

6. m1, k4, m1

7. knit

8. m1, k6, m1

9. knit

10. m1, k8, m1

11. knit

12. m1, k10, m1

13. knit

14. m1, k12, m1

15. knit

16. m1, k14, m1

17. knit

18. m1, k16, m1

19. knit

20. k1, yo, k19, yo

21. knit

22. (k1,yo) 2 times, ssk, k15, k2tog, yo, k1, yo

23. knit

24. k1, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k13, k2tog, yo, k3, yo

25. knit

26. k1, yo, k5, yo, ssk, k11, k2tog, yo, k5, yo

27. knit around to last stitch, slip last stitch – this slipped stitch is now the first slipped stitch in the next round

28. sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k1, yo, ssk, k9, k2tog, yo, k2, (yo, k1)2 times, k2

29. repeat 27

30. sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k3, yo, ssk, k7, k2tog, yo, k4, (yo, k1)2 times, k2

31. repeat 27

32. sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k5, yo, ssk, k5, k2tog, yo, k6, (yo, k1)2 times, k2

33. repeat 27

34. sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k7, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k8, (yo, k1)2 times, k2

35. knit

36. k1, yo, k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k4, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k5, (yo, k1)2 times, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo

37. knit

38. k1, yo, k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k6, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, k7, (yo, k1)2 times, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo

39. knit

40. (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)4 times

41. knit

42. repeat 40

43. repeat 27

44. sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k8, (yo, k1)2 times, k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k2

45. repeat 27

46. sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k10, (yo, k1)2 times, k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k2

47. repeat 27

48. sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k2, ssk, k3, k2tog, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3, (yo, k1)2 times, k2

49. repeat 27

50. repeat 48

51. knit

52. (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times, k1, yo, k3, yo, (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times

53. knit

54. (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times, k1, yo, k5, yo, (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times

55. knit

56. (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times, k1, yo, k7, yo, (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times

57. knit

58. (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times, k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1, k2tog, k2, yo, (k1, yo, k3, s1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo)2 times

59. knit *

60. k1, yo, k9, yo

61. knit

62. knit

63. knit

64. k4, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3

65. knit

66. k3, k2tog, (yo, k1)3 times, yo, ssk, k2

67. knit

68. k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1

69. knit

70. k1, k2tog, (yo, k1)3 times, ssk, k1, k2tog, (k1, yo)3 times, ssk

71. repeat 27

72. sl1, k2tog, psso, (yo, k1)3 times, ssk, ssk, k1, k2tog, k2tog, (k1, yo)3 times

73. knit

74. knit

75. purl

76. knit

77. purl

78. (k1, yo)3 times, (ssk)3 times, k1, (k2tog)3 times, (yo, k1)2 times, yo

79. knit

80. repeat 78

81. knit

82. repeat 78

83. knit

84. repeat 78

85. knit

86. repeat 78

87. knit

88. repeat 78

89. knit

90. knit

91. purl

92. knit

93. purl *

94. repeat 78

95. knit

96. repeat 78

97. knit

98. repeat 78

99. knit

100. repeat 78

101. knit

102. repeat 78

103. knit

104. (k1, yo)2 times, k15, (yo, k1)2 times, yo

105. knit

106. knit

107. k1, yo, k1, ssk, k8

108. k2, yo, k1, ssk, k7

109. k3, yo, k1, ssk, k6

110. k4, yo, k1, ssk, k5

111. k5, k2tog, k1, yo, k4

112. k4, k2tog, k1, yo, k5

113. k3, k2tog, k1, yo, k6

114. k2, k2tog, k1, yo, k7

115. k9, k2tog, k1, yo

116. k8, k2tog, k1, yo, k1

117. k7, k2tog, k1, yo, k2

118. k6, k2tog, k1, yo, k3

119. k5, yo, k1, ssk, k4

120. k6, yo, k1, ssk, k3

121. k7, yo, k1, ssk, k2

122. k8, yo, k1, ssk, k1

123. knit

124. knit

125. (yo, k2tog) repeat to end of round

126. knit

Bind off: Insert crochet hook knit-wise into first stitch, and wrap yarn around hook as if to knit. Pull yarn through the stitch. Work the next stitch the same way, so you have two stitches on the hook. Wrap and pull yarn through both stitches. Continue working the next stitch from left needle and then pulling the loop through both stitches that leaves on the hook. At the end, break yarn and pull it all the way through the last loop.

You are welcome to distribute this pattern and use the ideas included and gift or sell whatever you make from it. But if you distribute it, please do so as a whole, with attribution and this info included. Thanks!

This work by Suzanne Lander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

This pattern is for medium to large kids' gloves (for smaller kids, I'd suggest mittens!)

Yarn: about 100 yards of worsted weight wool

Needles: US3 (either 30-40” circulars for magic loop or double points) 

Gauge: 10 stitches by 16 rows over 2 inches in stockinette 

Cast on 36 stitches 

K1, p1 ribbing for 15 rows 

Knit in pattern (stockinette or whatever you like) for 5 more rows

 

Increase for thumb over next 10 rows:

K17, m1, k2, m1, k17

knit plain

repeat (46 stitches at end)

K17, k1 front and back, place next 10 stitches on stitch holder for thumb, k18

Knit in stockinette for 10 rows

 

Put stitches on stitch holder, palm stitches facing one side and back of hand stitches facing the other.

Use magic loop or 3 dpns for fingers and thumb. For 3 dpns, two needles will hold stitches and you'll knit with the 3rd.

 

Pinkie finger:

Place 4 stitches on front needle and 5 on back needle

K3, k1 front and back, k5

Continue in pattern for 11 rows

K2tog to end of round (5 stitches)

Thread yarn through all stitches and pull tight to close

 

Ring finger:

Place 5 stitches on front needle and 4 on back needle

K4, k1 front and back, k5, pick up 1 stitch from the increase in the pinkie finger

continue in pattern for 17 rows

K2tog to end of round, k1 (6 stitches)

Thread yarn through all stitches and pull tight to close

 

Middle finger:

Place 4 stitches on front needle and 5 on back needle

Pick up 1 stitch from the increase in the ring finger, k3, k1 front and back, k5

Continue in pattern for 19 rows

K2tog to end of round, k1 (6 stitches)

Thread yarn through all stitches and pull tight to close

 

Index finger:

Place 5 stitches on front needle and 4 stitches on back needle.

K10, pick up 1 stitch from the increase in the middle finger

continue in pattern for 17 rows

K2tog to end of round, k1 (6 stitches)

Thread yarn through all stitches and pull tight to close

 

Thumb:

Place 5 stitches on each needle.

Pick up 1, k10, pick up 1

continue in pattern for 13 rows

K2tog to end of round (6 stitches)

Thread yarn through all stitches and pull tight to close

 Weave in any loose ends

You are welcome to distribute this pattern and use the ideas included and gift or sell whatever you make from it. But if you distribute it, please do so as a whole, with attribution and this info included. Thanks!

This work by Suzanne Lander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

This was a quick experiment when I needed a hat for a cold day. It turned out pretty cute in a simple sort of way. The pattern walks through all the figuring out of measurements as you go. I put my numbers as an example so hopefully that helps things make sense.

Knit in the round from the center of the top down to the brim.

Start out by swatching your yarn and measuring your head.

I used bulky yarn and size 10 needles. I stretched the swatch to mimic a snug fit around my head (if you want a looser fit, don't stretch) which gave me about 6 stitches over 4 inches or 1.5 stitches per inch. Alternatively, I believe most people measure their head and then subtract an inch or two for negative ease. The measurement I came up with for the brim of my tam was 22 inches.

Multiply the inches by the number of stitches per inch.

In my example, it was 22×1.5=33. This is the number of stitches for the brim.

Double the number of stitches for the brim to get the stitch count for the largest part of the hat.

33×2=66 for mine.

Divide that number by 16 to get your cast on stitch count.

66÷16=4.125. I rounded down to 4 here and planned to make up any difference in stitch count at the decrease for the brim if I felt the need.

If you’re using lighter weight yarn and your cast on stitch count is more than 8, you can divide that number by 2 and add another increase round at round 32.

Cast on, spreading the stitches over 4 double points or on two or one circular needles, however you like to knit in the round.

1. Knit around.

2. Increase (also on rounds 4, 8, and 16): K1, yarn over (yo) to end of round. If you don't want eyelet circles in the top of your tam, you can use any increase stitch you like instead of a yo. Knit around on all other rounds.

By round 16 (or 32, if using lighter yarn) you should have reached your highest stitch count number. I was a little short at 64 stitches because of rounding down at cast on.

Knit until your hat measures 4 inches (more or less) from the last increase round.

Knit 2 together to end of round. If I had followed this, I would have ended up with 32 stitches, so I skipped the last decrease and knit both of the last two stitches separately to get 33.

Knit another inch or so and bind off. This will create a rolled edge. If you'd like to do a knit 1, purl 1 ribbing, you could do that easily as long as your final stitch count is an even number.

You can block the hat with a dinner plate, if you like.

You are welcome to distribute this pattern and use the ideas included and gift or sell whatever you make from it. But if you distribute it, please do so as a whole, with attribution and this info included. Thanks!

This work by Suzanne Lander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Size 5 US needles and worsted weight yarn or whatever you need to get gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches. I knit tightly...

Using a circular needle or double pointed needles: Cast on 90 for medium [70 for small, 110 for large]

Waist Ribbing

Join the ends and k1, p1, repeating to end of round. Continue k1, p1 ribbing until you've finished 20 rounds (you may want to do 30 for a large soaker).

Hips

Knit for 40 [30, 40] rounds.

Bottom and Crotch

If you want to weave the ends together — bind off 40 [30, 50] stitches then knit to end of row.

If you want to graft them together — bind off 10 [5, 10] stitches, k20 [20, 30], bind off 10 [5, 10], knit to end of row and move the separated 20 stitches to a stitch holder.

Work the remaining 50 [40, 60] stitches as if on single pointed needles (you can switch to them if you want but I prefer to use circular for everything):

Slip first stitch knitwise, k2tog, knit to end of row, turn. Slip first stitch purlwise, p2tog, purl to end of row.

Repeat the previous two rows until you have 20 [20, 30] stitches on the needle (about 30 [20, 30] rows).

To continue with the crotch: Slip first stitch knitwise then knit to end of row, turn. Slip first stitch purlwise then purl to end of row.

Repeat the previous two rows until you've finished 50 [40, 60] rows.

You can weave or graft this end to the front of the soaker before or after you knit the ribbing for the legs.

Leg Ribbing

Using single pointed needles if you wait to connect the crotch or double pointed needles if you've already done it:

Pick up an even number of stitches at 5 stitches per inch around the legs knit one full row. k1, p1, repeat this to the end of row. Repeat the previous row 29 more times then bind off loosely.

If you haven't joined the two ends at the crotch, do so now and weave the ends of the leg ribbing together, too!

You are welcome to distribute this pattern and use the ideas included and gift or sell whatever you make from it. But if you distribute it, please do so as a whole, with attribution and this info included. Thanks!

This work by Suzanne Lander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.